Assistant professor of human resource development Melika Shirmohammadi, Ph.D., was recognized earlier this summer with the Reviewer of the Year award from Human Relations, a prominent academic journal.
This award is given in recognition of high-quality reviews provided for submissions to the journal over the past year, and acknowledges not only the volume of reviews provided, but also the timeliness and thoroughness with which they were completed.
"Receiving this award is especially meaningful to me because it highlights the critical, behind-the-scenes (yet often unnoticed) role that reviewers play in maintaining the integrity and quality of academic research," Shirmohammadi said. "I was both surprised and deeply honored to be selected, especially considering the caliber of other reviewers of the journal. It's gratifying to know that the effort I put into each review has been recognized in this way."
Human Relations is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing "the highest quality original research" to advance understanding of social relationships at and around work, and encourages strong empirical contributions that develop and extend theory as well as more conceptual papers. Human Relations has an Impact Factor of 4.5, and a 5-Year Impact Factor of 6.1.
Shirmohammadi said she is motivated by a "strong desire to give back to the academic community" that has supported her growth as a professional. She hopes that her contributions as a dedicated reviewer help to support others in the field in refining their work, as others have done for her.
"I'd like to express my gratitude to the editors and colleagues who have supported me. Recognition like this is never the result of individual effort alone, and I am fortunate to be part of such a vibrant and collaborative academic community," she said.
Shirmohammadi also serves as an associate editor for Human Resource Development Quarterly and contributes to various reviews for other relevant journals. She noted that this recognition is particularly meaningful because it reinforces the value of "effort and time" she invests in offering thorough, constructive feedback – a delicate balancing act in conjunction with her other academic and professional responsibilities.
"The Human Relations community is one where interdisciplinary research thrives and being part of the review process allows me to engage with cutting-edge work that challenges conventional wisdom and pushes boundaries," Shirmohammadi added.
"I’m guided by the philosophy that education and research should be transformative, not just informative. Central to this is a constructive developmental approach, which means I strive to combine positive feedback with clear, practical guidance on how to make improvements. Whether I'm working with students in the classroom or reviewing a manuscript, I aim to meet the learner or author where they are and provide feedback that is centered on their growth."
Shirmohammadi said that this approach "helps ensure that [her] suggestions are actionable", and fosters a supportive environment that allows individuals to "reach their full potential."